World

Rape victim in India asked to balance heavy rock on head to prove her ‘purity’

According to ritual, if pregnant rape victim passes ‘sanctity test' she will be able to live with her husband again

Web Desk August 09, 2015

PHOTO: INDIA TODAY

A rape victim in India was asked to balance a 40kg rock on her head in order to 'prove her purity' and reside with her husband again.

The rape survivor, who became pregnant as a result of the attack and had been denied an abortion by Gujarat High Court in India, has to undergo a ritual, called 'Agnipariksha'. If she passes this ‘sanctity test’, she would be able to live with her husband again.

Read: India court refuses abortion for teen rape victim

Speaking to India Today, the woman said she was living in fear and that her attacker had threatened to kill her when he gets released from prison.

‘Agnipariksha’, which means ‘test of fire’, is a traditional practice carried out in some parts of India because the virtue of women who have suffered sexual abuse is considered to be 'tainted'. The practice has its foundation in the Hindu poem Ramayana, in which Sita was made to sit in the fire after she had been kidnapped by a suitor.

The treatment of women and rape victims in India has caused a global debate after the gang rape of a 23-year-old student on a Delhi bus in 2012.

Read: Thousands to rally in India over nun gang-rape: archbishop

A more recent case of the gang rape of a 71-year-old nun jolted India in March 2015. The nun was attacked late Friday after a gang of half a dozen robbers broke into a convent school in eastern West Bengal state and ransacked the premises.

The robbers gagged a security guard before assaulting the nun. They then entered the principal’s room and stole cash, a laptop and a mobile phone, according to police.

This article originally appeared on India Today

COMMENTS (31)

Seadorff | 9 years ago | Reply @Hassan: Both are 3rd World Countries. Just accept this fact and try to improve instead of competing through ET.

Hassan | 9 years ago | Reply @Jayant: Thank you so much to second my comment, as indeed India is way ahead of Pakistan in every aspect'' like child abuse, rape, killings, education, poverty, vulgarity, u are just following west in bad ways only, i remember Indian women were as decent as pakistanis but now check out the trend in your country seems like we are watching some western stuff, it is and it will never be ur culture, India have lost her identity, now whatever is happening around the world as a part of news our newspaper publish them, but that doesn't mean we r poking our nose into our neighbors rather we keep ourselves updated on issues going around in our neighboring countries, and seriously why do Indians feel offended when it is just another news for us??? why did all of you started telling us the same or the worse is happening in Pakistan??? did we ever claim to be the most Ideal country in the world or the most progressing one??? why do Indians generally have problems with respect to their country, i mean it more seems like that all of you have some sort of inferiority complex, its like if u r rich and wearing a ripped jeans it won't really bother u but if u happens to be a poor guy this similar situation would be far embarrassing... i think the case with Indian is the later one. just relax don't think sharing a news about India is as if we have attacked ur country's dignity.. take it as another news...simple.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Pawan | 9 years ago | Reply To all who have criticized about india, please check authenticity of the news as in the past many a time ET has given wring information or article about india. Please before cricizing any country please get the facts right.

numbersnumbers | 9 years ago | Reply @washer: Last time I checked, the U.S./Europe/ India didn't need to set up military tribunals like Pakistan!

Thurby | 9 years ago | Reply @Charlie: Unlike the Western media, India actually does real-life news reports.

washer | 9 years ago | Reply this is india court of law I don't think anyone one should judge considering all are pretty much the same in quality even the US and Europe.

Jayant | 9 years ago | Reply @Hassan... The state of affair in Pakistan actually needs more attention from Pakistani like u.The corruption, The sectarian violence, black Abyss economy,Army Mafia, Child Porn scandals, ETC ETC. , Stop looking over your shoulder into neighbor house, which according to the entire world is way ahead of Pakistan in every aspect.. Discussion on Islam is absent hence such sorry state of affairs in all Islamic countries ! google education rate of Islamic countries and the answer will be clear . Teach ur self to be discussing Pakistan rather than India, We already have enough tools and willingness to learn and eradicate problems of our country!

Sandesh Kumar | 9 years ago | Reply @Irfan: Yes, they should be ashamed for at least a 71 yr old nun being raped in India.

The Dude | 9 years ago | Reply Believe half of what you see and even less of what you hear.

joy | 9 years ago | Reply such a barbaric people with ancient mentality. how could the rqpe victim being punished in that way, nonsense. complete idiot I might say...idiot idiot

Hassan | 9 years ago | Reply @jayant: Ok so u want us and everybody else to let it go, its a shameful act and u r answerable to that, if someone questions the security of women in India instead of replying logically u would start posing question to him? what a shame....Furthermore, we are not discussing Islam here, we are discussing increasing rape cases in India, so stick to the topic.

Charlie | 9 years ago | Reply So sad!

Charlie | 9 years ago | Reply I can't stop asking myself why many rape news emanates from India... the authorities need to do something about it ASAP!

Phil McCracken | 9 years ago | Reply And this country has a space program...

asdwaswasd | 9 years ago | Reply Meanwhile on Tumblr

Rajan | 9 years ago | Reply Now I am not quite sure as to what the court was thinking when they barred the woman from having an abortion. Could someone elaborate on the verdict?

jayant | 9 years ago | Reply @Irfan: Double Shameful is the Child porn scandal in Pakistan ! BTW does Islam ask for 4 male witness to even prove a lady;s claim of Rape ? @MJ - Tasteless comment ,. think before opening ur mouth.

bahaha | 9 years ago | Reply @I thought Indians were smart?: no they just shine like in shining India

IndianAtheist | 9 years ago | Reply Wah, what an idea Sirji !! These illiterates must get an education. Religion has gnawed into their brain.

Bp | 9 years ago | Reply Please mention the Kolkata nun rape for its entirety that those were Bangladeshi islamists doing that act as part of a calculated strategy..

I thought Indians were smart? | 9 years ago | Reply I thought Indians were smart?

Human Being | 9 years ago | Reply This is the simplest concept on this whole planet: Protect the innocent. Punish the guilty. The child of the rape, if delivered, should be financially supported by the father. The father should be castrated. The woman should be given the option of carrying the child to term, financially supported and given counseling.

Not an Indian | 9 years ago | Reply Well, did she succeed?

Real Man | 9 years ago | Reply @Indian: Is it rape if you're too little for the woman to feel it?

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply this article is written by some mullah. hey mullah's first worry about rapes in your own country.

Faruq | 9 years ago | Reply When it comes to dealing with rape, India and Pakistan suck

MJ | 9 years ago | Reply Where are they going to find a heavy rock in India to do that? "Sab logon ki aqal par pathar paray hoay hain" Maybe someone has to die first so that a heavy rock become available.

Manish Rastogi | 9 years ago | Reply Shameful. This acknowledges the fact that India has many fronts to fight on. I am a soldier in this fight for my country.

cautious | 9 years ago | Reply ‘test of fire’, is a traditional practice carried out in some parts of India because the virtue of women who have suffered sexual abuse . Appears that 21st Century hasn't caught up with much of India. Similar to Pakistan - once you leave the big cities your pretty much on your own and subject to local rules/customs some of which are barbaric.

Sarwar | 9 years ago | Reply Only the victim and not the (alleged) rapist asked to carry "the burden of truth". Cheers for Indian style justice.

Irfan | 9 years ago | Reply What a shame India

Replying to X